Living with the Creed
by Riyu-san
Summary: Celia Beilschmitdt is the daughter of Annetta Beilschimdt, and the only and only Ezio Auditore. How will growing up with assassin's affect her, and those close to her?
1. Hero

Life was relatively peaceful, living outside of Rome. Lots of people would come by, in or out of the city looking for a place to stay. I was happy.

Well as happy as I could be without my father.

My mother told me stories about him, how he fought the Templar. I always thought it was a fairy tale. That was my mistake. I grew up, listening to this stories, until one day I just stopped believing in them.

I was disenchanted. I would play with my friends who lived in the city, Aria and Benedetto. They told me about the corrupt guards that took away the groceries their mother bought.

How could such people exist? They could stop the guards, but they didn't?

I wished could've helped them, but I rarely left home. My mother was very ill, she barely get out of bed. Aunt Jamie, a woman we shared a home with, and our caretaker, mostly helped with her.

There was one occasion that I went into the city. Aunt Jamie asked me to run and get bread from the market. She gave me a few florins, and I rushed off, happy to help.

I saw Aria by the gate, and she ran to meet me. I smiled at her, tucking the money into my dress pocket.

"_Ciao_, Aria. How come you're out here?" I asked.

"My mother said we had to go shopping. What are you doing this close to the city? I thought you never left your mother." She asked, a confused frown on her face.

"Auntie asked me to get bread." I told her, and her mother marched up to Aria. She was really pretty, I remember thinking so, when I saw her that day. I had only seen her once, calling for her children when we were playing.

"Good morning, Celia. Going shopping for you aunt, I see." She observed with a soft smile. I nodded.

"Would you like to come with us? The market is hardly a place for a little girl." I put my hands on my hips, staring up at her.

"I'm five!" I objected. She smiled again, grabbing my hand and Aria's, leading us to the market.

I watched with large eyes, taking in the sights and smells of Rome. I was glad I lived so close. It was full of life, and at night it glowed with the soft fire-lit lanterns. No matter what time it was, something was always happening.

Aria's mother got her shopping done, and we were about to get the bread for Auntie, but a guard stepped in her way.

"_Ciao_, how are you today, Felicia?" He asked with a sneer. Felicia, (Aria's mother), straighten her back, attempting to look dignified.

"_Bene,_ now, if you'll excuse me, I have to get home to my husband." She told him curtly, trying to walk around him. He sidestepped, so he was still in her way, a smirk on his face. I shivered, grabbing Aria's hand.

I was scared of this man, he wasn't being what a guard should be. Was he one of the guards Benedetto and his Aria told me about?

The girl next to me was stoic, like this happened all the time. The man smiled cruelly, grabbing Felicia's arm. I scowled, but was too scared to move.

Felicia tried to pull her arm away, frowning at the man.

"Oh, no." He tsked. "We weren't done talking, _bella_. Besides, I like a woman who knows her place." I saw a shadow move, and I looked to the side to see a man, with grey robes on, armor, and all sorts of weapons.

"Excuse me, _signore. _I believe the lady wishes to be left alone." He told him, a smirk on his lips. I gasped hiding behind Aria, scared of this man as well. I wasn't used to so many people in one place, it was more crowded than the farm ever was.

"Get out of here, _stronzo (_asshole)!" He grunted, releasing Felicia. The hooded man's smiled widened, and he looked back at us.

"Sorry, you had to deal with this man." He said, before a heard a click, and then the guard was on the ground. I inhaled sharply, looking up at the newcomer with watery eyes.

"Let me escort you home, _signora_." He offered with a slight bow. Felicia nodded, leading the mysterious man toward her home. We arrived at their home, and Felicia thanked him. They had a simple home, big enough for them at least.

The man looked at me for a second, a curious gleam in his eyes. I kicked the ground, dust staining my shoes.

"Aren't you going inside?" I shook my head, gripping my skirt.

"I live outside of the city. I was following them since I needed to shop for my aunt. But then the guard…" I drifted off, glancing up at him for a second. He nodded, walking off a few feet before looking back at me.

"Come on, don't you need to shop?" He asked with a smile. I nodded, jogging to catch up. I grabbed his hand, still a little frightened. He blinked in surprise, but he allowed it. What did that look like I wonder? A little girl leading around a full grown man?

"What's your name?" I asked softly. He smiled at me.

"Ezio. And you, _bella_?" I smiled slightly, looking up at him.

"Celia Beilschmidt." I answered. His lips tightened, and he stared at me for a moment longer before relaxing again.

The market wasn't as crowded, but it still made me nervous. The guards were gone, but I could still hear them shouting.

"Don't worry they won't bother us again" Ezio told me, as we walked into a bakery. I shuffled up to the man, and asked for bread. The baker nodded curtly, and went to get it. I scooped the florins Auntie got me out of my pocket, but Ezio stopped me.

"Don't worry about it, Celia." He told me, getting money out of his pouch. He paid the baker, handing me the bread. I liked him, he was really nice. I never really talked to anyone but to Aria and her family. It was hard to come by nice people.

He walked me out of the city, and it looked like he shied away from guard, pulling down his hood most of the time. I grabbed his hand, leading him to the small farmhouse where I lived. The two Arabian horses we had, Regalo and the mare, Fiore, were grazing outside.

Their ears perked up, and I skipped over to them, petting their noses as they leaned down to me. Ezio strolled up behind me calmly, patiently waiting for me to finish. Ezio looked a bit nervous, but I couldn't imagine why.

"You can pet them too." I chimed. He brushed off his hood, holding out a hand to the mare. I glanced at him, out of the corner of my eye.

He had dark brown hair that was greying, and warm hazel eyes. He also had a beard that made him look a bit older. Smile lines were near his eyes too, but there were also wrinkles from stress.

"Are these your horses?" I shook my head, with a small smile.

"They're my mother's. But she said the foal Fiore has will be mine." I told him, taking a step back. I grabbed his hand again, pulling him up to the house.

I swung open the door, inviting Ezio inside. Auntie popped her head out of the bedroom, her blue eyes immediately landing on Ezio.

"Ezio! It's been so long since I've seen you! Come here to visit Anna? She's been very ill lately. She'll be glad to see you." Auntie said, hugging the man.

"Celia, do you know who this is?" Auntie asked, holding my hands after she had put the bread on the table. I shook my head shyly, looking down.

"No, but he helped Aria's mother, and walked me home." I told her. She smiled at me, her eyes crinkling up at the corners.

"Ask your mother who he is. Take him in, alright?" I nodded, grabbing his hand again and showing him to my mother's room.

It was a small room that I shared with her. There was a window over the bed, and you could see the horses outside, along with the hills of green grass, little violets and a few trees.

Mother laid on a soft bed, with a light oak backboard, and lavender covers. We had given her the best we could, to make sure she was comfortable.

Ezio quicken his pace, going to her side, and grabbed her hand. She opened her blue-green eyes slowly, smiling as her gaze rested on the man.

"Anna, what happened?" He asked, a worried frown on his face. I ran over, jumping on the bed, and sitting next to my mother.

"Just a cold. Celia, how did you meet this man?" Mother asked, opening one bleary eye.

"He helped Aria, me and her mother when a guard was messing with her." She smiled weakly, glancing at Ezio.

"Remember those stories I told you? About the people who fought Templars?" I nodded. There was no way they were real. That was just a story.

"This is one of them, an assassin. And your father. His name is Ezio Auditore Da Firenze. Isn't that right?" She asked with a dry chuckle. The man nodded. I blinked.

I had never had a father before, and he just shows up? It was almost too good to be true.

"You are going to be a great assassin one day, just like your father. Just…. Be a good person." Her dainty hand wrapped around mine comfortingly.

If my mother wanted me to believe he was my father, I would. She's not cruel enough to lie about it. I crawled over to Ezio, and hugged him, giving him a small smile.

"Are all the stories true?" I asked him, plopping myself down next to him.

"Of course. And you will live to have your own stories as well. But for now, just focus on having a good childhood. I hate to say it, but you look more like your mother than me." True. I had dark hair, almost black hair like his, but I had my mother's everything else.

"That's not true. She has your smile." Mother commented.

Today, really changed me. I wanted to be just like Ezio. After all the things I heard, and want I saw him do, was incredible.

He was strong, smart, and defended the weak. I wanted to help people like that. I got to see that mythical hero my mother always talked about in action today. I wanted to fight for freedom, and have amazing adventures too.

"I have to go. Sorry, but I left in the middle of a mission. I'll be back to visit, I promise." He said. I nodded, hugging his waist.

"Make sure to tell me about it, okay?" I asked nervously. He laughed, picking me up. I yelped, flailing around to balance myself.

"I _promise_." I was set down on my feet, and he said his goodbyes. I followed him out, not wanting him to leave.

He kissed my forehead, and left without another word.

**I know it's a short first chapter, but I wanted to get it started. I promise the next one with be longer. Thanks for reading! **

**~Melanie **


	2. As Long as you're with Me

I went out to my horses, happy to see them again. Fiore was the nicer one, but Regalo was kind too. Fiore wasn't too far off from having her foal. Hopefully it would be a girl.

Fiore trotted up, whinnying and nosed my hand. I smiled at her, giving her a carrot. Regalo protested, so I gave him one too.

A gentle breeze whisked by, making the grass look like the ocean, with small waves. The warm sun soaked into my skin, and I stretched, enjoying the good weather. Maybe Auntie would let me take mother outside today.

I said goodbye to the horses, jogging back to the house. It was just about noon, and Ezio had left about two hours ago. I guess I should call him father now.

I opened the door quietly, trying not to make too much noise. Mother needed her rest. The kitchen smelled like stew, and Auntie was cooking, her hair tucked into a tight bun. She glanced back, an eyebrow raised.

"Do you need something, Celia?" She asked, dusting off her off-white apron. I gave her a small smile and nodded.

"Can mother go outside? It's really nice out today." Auntie looked at me for a moment before she agreed.

"Yes, I suppose the fresh air could do her good. I'll help her go outside in a moment." I giggled, hugging her waist.

I ran to Mother's room, a grin still plastered on my face. She was snoring softly, and I gently shook her awake, excited to give her the news.

She yawned, coughing for a few moments after. My smile turned into a frown, worried for my mother. She had been getting worse over the months.

"Celia. It's you. What do you need, darling?" She asked.

"Auntie said you can go outside. It's really nice out today, so I thought it was a good idea." I told her. Her lips quirked up, and she kissed my forehead.

"And you thought of me? That's sweet, dear." Mother said, pushing her covers off. I helped her, grabbing her shoes from the end of the bed.

She thanked me and put them on slowly, taking her time not to strain herself. Auntie came in a few moments later, a slight scowl on her usually kind face.

"Annetta, you know better than to be trying to get out of bed yourself." She scolded. Mother gave her a sheepish grin, glancing at me.

"I wasn't doing it myself, Celia was helping me, isn't that right, dear?" I smiled back, and nodded. Auntie simply shook her head, and wrapped an arm around mother's slim waist. She pulled her up, and I lead them to a spot on the hill.

It was under one of the trees, and you could admire all the little violets that bloomed on the hill. I sat here a lot, daydreaming, and sometimes napping.

"It is nice out here. Jamie, you can go back inside, I think I can manage sitting out here on my own." Auntie reluctantly nodded, hustling back to the house, muttering about how the stew would be ruined.

"You are the best d-daughter I could've hoped for, Celia. I'm sorry I'm not well enough to take you into Rome, or …play games with you." She had relaxed. She was showing me how weak she really was.

"N-no, it's fine, Mama. I'm sure you'll get better soon, and we can do all sorts of things!" I told her cheerily.

She leaned against the tree, with a long sigh. Her long, brunette, hair was braided, and her blue-green eyes looked glassy.

"I hate to do this, but I have to be honest with you, sweetheart. I don't think I'll be getting better." Mother said weakly. My brow furrowed in confusion.

"What do you mean? You'll be sick forever?"

"No, sweetheart. I mean… I'll probably end up… passing." I tipped my head to the side, before I realized what she meant. I shook my head stubbornly.

"NO! That's not fair!" I shouted. She flinched at my tone, and I instantly quieted down.

"You can't leave. I'll miss you." I whimpered, crawling over to her. She grunted, pulling me close. My eyes brimmed with tears and I hugged her, not wanting to let go.

"T-thank you for …taking me out here. It's really nice. The… flowers look really… pretty." A tear fell from my eye, and she gently wiped it away.

"Make sure you're a…. good a-assassin. I-I want you… to be the best…" I sobbed, looking her in the eye.

"Its not fair! Why do you have to leave?" I asked.

"Because my time is up. I love you, sweetheart." Her eyes glazed over, and I shook her, trying to wake her up. She was just asleep right? She needed her rest.

"Mama, are you sleeping?" No response. I shook her a little bit harder, ignoring the fact she was no longer warm.

"Come on, we have to go inside. Auntie doesn't want you out for long." I whimpered, pulling her hand. Her head slumped, and her hair fell in her face.

"Mama!"

/\\\\\

The funeral was quick, with only a few others there. A man that preformed the ceremonies, Auntie, me and Ezio.

I cried for days. I refused to believe she was gone. She had lived for so long with her illness, why now? Why did she die now?

I held Ezio's and Auntie's hands, sniffling and crying the whole time. They were all I had left, my father, and my aunt.

I put violets on her grave, and tied them with a lavender ribbon. I was really missed her. It hurt my heart, and it felt like I was being ripped in too.

She was so kind, and charming, she didn't deserve to die.

What had she told me? To be a great assassin. And it all started, here.

"E-Ezio?" I stammered, following him back to my home after the funeral. He glanced back at me, with sad looking hazel eyes.

"Can you train me?" I asked, a little more confident. His brow knitted together with worry, and he shook his head.

"Why not?" I demanded, hands on my hips, forcing us both to stop walking. He knelt down, looking me in the eye.

"You're too little. I don't want you getting hurt."

"But you'll protect me, won't you? That's what you did in the stories."

"I don't know… What will Aunt Jamie think about it?" I jogged up to Auntie who was a few steps ahead, not knowing that we had stopped.

"Auntie, can I go with Ezio?" I begged, looking up at her with puppy-dog eyes. She sighed, holding her head in her hand.

"You are his daughter… I suppose you can. Just make sure she doesn't get hurt, or I'll be the one hunting you down, Auditore."

"I wasn't expecting you to agree. But, alright. We're leaving for the Creed tomorrow. Pack everything you need."

/\\\\\

I said my goodbyes to Aria and Benedetto. Naturally I couldn't tell them why I was leaving, but Ezio told them I would be living with him.

I packed a small bag, with a few dresses, and my other pair of boots. Other than that, I didn't have much else.

It was about a three days travel to the Creed, but the whole trip was pretty uneventful. We encountered a few guards, but nothing to dangerous.

The Creed was huge! It was like a castle, and many hooded man stood outside, with a familiar symbol on their armor. I squealed in delight, jumping off the horse. Ezio managed to catch me before I touched the ground though.

"Be careful. These are dangerous people. But you're safe as long as you're with me." He chided, pulling me back onto the saddle. I nodded, trying my best to look tough.

"Oi, Ezio! Who's the little one?" One of the men called, causing me to flinch. Ezio chuckled pulling his horse to a stop.

"This is my daughter. Celia, say hello to Bruno." Ezio chimed, with a smile. I waved shyly at the man. He laughed gruffly, a grin on his tan face.

"I didn't know you had a daughter."

"Neither did I. But she is lovely." I smiled at my father, all my nervousness evaporating. Bruno looked really intimidating. He had short, black hair, with dark intelligent eyes, with what looked to be a constant frown on his lips.

"Are you going to have Isabella watch her?" He asked, shifting his gaze back to Ezio who nodded.

"It's the easiest. Especially since she has the other children too."

I later met them, they were quite nice, but they were all five years older than me. I really like Ricci and Pietro though. We had our own little group, but I mostly just followed them around since I was so much younger.

Ezio came and went on missions, but always made time for me. But even two years later, he still thought I was too young. Natalia told me she started training when she was seven, why couldn't I?

"I don't want you getting hurt. I promise I'll train you when you're older."

I pouted, but agreed. I didn't have another choice. I told Natalia and the gang about it, they agreed with me.

"Tell you what," Natalia started, "I'll teach you, but we have to keep it a secret." Macario, her brother objected, being the mother of the group.

"I don't think so. What if you get caught?" Ricci rolled his eyes, punching him in the shoulder.

"It's fine. We'll make sure they don't get caught."

We went out at night, to the training area, which was dimly lit by the dying lanterns. Disadvantage number one.

We had to be absolutely silent. Disadvantage number two.

And not to mention Natalia and Pietro, the two who were doing the teaching were much bigger than me. Disadvantage number three.

Ricci and Macario were hanging around, ready to distract anyone who got too close.

Natalia would show me what to do, performing simple combat moves against Pietro for me to copy.

First, she just wanted me to fight him without any teaching, so she could see where I was. I agreed, nervously stepping up to Pietro.

He was at least a head taller than me, but certainly didn't look it. He was as skinny as a rail, no muscle whatsoever. Maybe that's why she picked him.

I swung out a punch, barely keeping my balance as he dodged. I stopped myself, throwing a left hook. It hit his jaw, but it barely fazed him.

He faked forward, making me stumble back. I regained my balance, deflecting another hit. I wrapped my arm around his, hooking my right leg under his so he fell backward.

He pushed me off, pinning my arm behind my back. Tears pricked my eyes and I kicked my legs wildly, trying to get him off.

"Okay, stop. I think I know what your problem is." Natalia taught me some basic things, like pins, and using the other person's momentum.

I was in the middle of sparring with Pietro for a second time, when we were interrupted.

We heard Ricci's signal, and we all ran in the direction of our rooms. It was a close call. I believe it was that Bruno man. Doesn't matter.

I crept back into Isabella's room, since that's where Ezio had me staying. Something about it being improper of a man to have a little girl staying in his room.

I went in there most of the time anyway. I would hang out his office a lot too, just staring out the window and making conversation with the assassins that were waiting to speak with Ezio.

I never got used to calling him father.

I slipped into my bed, ignoring the creaking it made. I pulled the covers up, and fell asleep.


	3. Night Training

Macario still wasn't sure about them training me in the middle of the night. He was worried I might get hurt, and Ezio would punish them. I guess you could say he was an overprotective father, well, when he was around.

It had been a two years with him. I liked him. Love was too strong a word for someone who just waltzed into my life.

After a month of secret trainings, I believe it was getting to be a bit obvious. Natalia and Pietro were often exhausted from their own training, and then they stayed up later to train some more.

"Celia, you're getting better," Natalia stopped to yawn. "But you still need to work on actual hits. Pins will only get you so far." I nodded, putting up my hands and facing Pietro again.

He had bags under his grey eyes. He stretched, closing his eyes for a moment before getting ready. I rushed him, faking right, and striking with my right.

He put his hands up to block, but was hit by my right hook anyway. He really was tired. He usually had the best defence.

Natalia had me fight Macario and Ricci before too, since they all had different styles.

Natalia was the most skilled in hand to hand, but not very good with weapons, or so I heard from Ricci. She hadn't allowed us to use weapons since that would be more noticeable, and we could really get hurt.

Macario wasn't outstanding in anything, except he was an expert in strategy. The opposite of his sister, mostly like to use weapons. He was probably the smartest out of all of us. So why didn't we ever listen to him I wonder?

Ricci was brute force. He was the biggest, tallest, and most aggressive when fighting. In fact, what Natalia had taught me worked best against him. It was easy to let him throw his weight around and wait for an opportunity to pin his arms.

Pietro was the fastest, and had the best balance. It was difficult for me to pull anything on him. He was a jack of all trades it seems.

I swung my foot up, risking getting tripped, and kneed him in the stomach. He gasped, falling to his knees. I stopped, leaning down, with Natalia hurrying over too.

"Can I go to bed now?" He groaned, holding his stomach. Natalia whistled for Ricci to come help with carrying him, and I just stood by, feeling depressed.

All my friends deprived themselves of sleep, to help me train. Maybe we should stop, I mean, I don't think I'm even getting anywhere. I haven't beat a single one of them, and the only time I can is when they're at a serve disadvantage.

"You guys don't have to keep doing this. I'll just wait a few more months." I said with a sheepish smile. Ricci scowled, looking away.

"No, you really wanted this. And we're not gonna stop just because Pietro can't fight a little girl." He snapped, glaring at the blonde boy he was holding up. Pietro rolled his eyes, shoving him off, standing of his own.

"Shut up, Ricci. She's beaten you before. But he's right, besides, it's just because I was running all around the Creed today. I'll be fine tomorrow, don't worry about it." I frowned, crossing my arms.

"No, you all need to focus your training. I can handle myself." Natalia rolled her eyes, throwing her arm around my shoulders.

"How about this, we get a two day break, and we'll continue this little arrangement later this week?" She suggested. I reluctantly nodded, they weren't going to let it go.

So as agreed, we took a two day (or should I say night) break. In that time, I was with Ezio, hanging out in his office. He come home the day before. I missed him a lot, he was always nice to be around.

"Celia, how've you been?" Ezio asked, sweeping me up a hug. I squealed, hugging him back.

"_Bene_! How was your trip?" He smiled at me, putting me on his shoulders. I pulled his hood off, and he let me. It bothered me when he had it on, I couldn't see his eyes.

"It was a success. And I trust you behaved yourself while I was gone?" I smiled, nodding at him enthusiastically, thinking back to the night training. Speaking of that, there goes Ricci and Macario. Their mentors must've had them spar.

"Can you please teach me? I promise I'll do try really hard!" I whined. Maybe if I convinced him, my friends wouldn't have to suffer. I could see Ricci was slower than normal, and Macario wasn't thinking as clearly.

Ezio sighed, taking me off his shoulders and putting me on the ground. He still wore that worried look, like when I first came here. He knelt down to eye level, and said,

"Celia, you're too-"

"Please! One try?" I begged, giving him my best puppy-dog look. Ezio sighed, giving me a long look, before standing back up.

"One try." He told me, leading me over to where Ricci and Macario were practicing. Ezio called over their mentors, and the boys stopped fighting, following them over.

"Will you have one of you students spar Celia? She's determined for me to teach her, but I think she's too young. So, we're going to see how she fairs against one of yours." He told them, as they greeted him.

The two assassins looked between each other, and back down at their pupils. You could almost read their thoughts.

_Which would she fair best against? _

I smiled subtly at Ricci and Macario, who looked a bit nervous themselves. Macario smiled back, and Ricci brushed his brunette hair out of his eyes, and nodded to me.

"How about Macario?" One suggested. They thought Ricci would hurt me, didn't they?

"I'll do it." Ricci spoke up, giving me a knowing look. Pietro was right, let him throw his weight around, and wait to strike. It had worked out pretty well so far. Besides, it would be easier than facing off with Macario.

Ezio looked sceptical, since he was so much bigger than me. He was shorter than Pietro, but had a stockier build. Plus, he looked older than he actually was. Finally, he agreed. I smiled, hugged his waist and ran into the small area they sparred in.

Macario pat me on the back, giving me an encouraging smile. He mouthed 'good luck', and ushered me in. Ricci, had his hands up already, eying me carefully.

"Start!" One of the other assassins shouted. I readied myself, watching Ricci's movement. I could see Ezio out of the corner of my eye, tense and worried.

Ricci rushed me, and I sidestepped at the last minute. I grabbed his arm, swinging his weight to the right. He planted his feet, effectively stopping his wild movement.

He grabbed my arm, throwing me over his shoulder. I yelped, and he flipped me, pinning me on my stomach. I rolled to the side, throwing a left hook, and knocking Ricci back a foot.

He scowled, picking me up again, tossing me to the other side of the area. I regained my balance, rushing him. I aimed at his left, but juked to the right, ducking under his arms.

I got behind him, jumping on his back. I held him around the neck, and he couldn't reach me. He shouted in frustration, falling backwards. His weight crushed me, and I left go, gasping for breath. Ricci jumped up, putting his hands up once more.

I ran at him, losing patience myself. As soon as I reached him, he struck me in the mouth. I stopped, falling backwards.

Ricci stopped as well, leaning down to me mouth open. He looked quite shocked, but I couldn't figure out why. I found out a few seconds later, feeling something warm drip down my chin.

I touched my chin, pulling it away to see blood. I gasped, looking back at Ricci, who was terrified, which was out of character for him. A shadow fell over us, and I whipped around to see Ezio, fuming.

He didn't say anything as he scooped me up, and carried me to Isabella's room, where he asked her to fix me up.

He placed me on a table, where it would be easier to tend to my lip. Ezio backed off to let Isabella work, leaning against the wall in thought.

"Celia, look what you've done. I told you before, those boys are too rough." She tsked, dabbing my bleeding lip.

Isabella wasn't over-emotional, but she also wasn't apathetic. She was plain-looking, with black hair, which was usually in a braid. She was the cook for most of the assassins, and watched some of the younger kids, like me.

"I know… but I wanted to convince my father to let me train." I whined, kicking my feet. She put her hands on her hips, turning to the man.

"Ezio! You know just as well as me that she is perfectly capable of beginning her training!" Isabella scolded. Ezio looked up at her in shock, crossing his arms.

"Could a normal seven year old go out and train in the middle of the night? No, so obviously she has enough natural talent to start." She added, giving me a look. I gaped at her, meeting my father's eyes before looking away quickly.

"She's _what?_" I flinched, looking at Isabella in shock.

"How do you know that?" I asked. She rolled her dark, chocolate eyes.

"I'm not an idiot, Celia. So, Ezio, what are you going to do?" He looked between us, his hazel eye narrowed in concentration.

"_Si_… She did do pretty well, how long had she been training?"

"About a month, right, Celia?" I nodded.

"Against a boy bigger than her, trained longer than her, and he's good enough to beat Macario, she did hold her own." Isabella chimed, glancing at the doorway.

Ricci was waited there, looking a bit nervous. He was eyeing Ezio like he would jump him at any time. I smiled at him, flinched when it stung my lip.

"I-I'm sorry, Celia, Master Ezio." He stammered. Ezio looked at him, shaking his head. You could see he really wanted to hurt him, but he refrained.

"It's okay, Ricci. I'm fine." I told him, jumping off the table. Isabella looked at Ezio with an I-told-you-so look. Ricci shifted his weight nervously, watching my father.

"Is he mad?" I guess he took Macario's words to heart. He had been terrified something would happen to me, and he would pay the price. I nodded slightly, glancing at Ezio, who was currently glaring at the boy.

"S-sorry!" He restated, hugging me quickly and running out of the room. I smiled, running over to Ezio. I hugged his waist, making sure not to hit my lip on one of his weapons.

"Please, let me train! I'll be good enough to beat him next time!" I begged. He sighed, sharing a look with Isabella.

"_Bene_, I'll train you."

/\\\\\

My lip healed, but it ended up scarring. It looked a lot like Ezio's scar, so I was happy. I was even more like him. He still wasn't happy with Ricci though. He would glare at him whenever he was around me.

We trained, I mostly fought against Natalia and Pietro though, Ezio wouldn't allow any other students spar with me.

He trained me with swords, throwing knives, and all sorts of weapons. I particularly liked swords and short blades. They were easier for me to handle.

I couldn't wait until I got my hidden blades. I envied those with them. I often tried to borrow Ezio's, but he told me to wait.

_Until you're a real assassin. You'll receive yours when you become a full member of the Creed._

I had trained for three years. I was now ten years old, and had been thrown into much tougher training. I sighed, holding out the much heavier, English sword, toward the dummie.

Bruno had begun training me earlier this year, which meant the real stuff began. He was much tougher on me than my father, but I guess that was to be expected.

He never gave me any breaks, I either was running laps, or doing chores, or studying. It was a wonder I even had time to sleep.

"Now!" My arms burned from repeated the same actions over, and over again, but if I failed to do this, it would be another twenty laps.

I lunged, piercing the chest. It was a bit lower this time, due to my arms being weak. I pulled away, wiping a few beads of sweat from my brow. Natalia had stopped by, and was currently watching us, with Macario at her side.

They had grown up. Natalia had a narrow face, and tanned skin. Her dark, curly hair was always in a ponytail, and her eyes still looked mischievous. She wore her robes, and hidden blade proudly, having only gotten them a few month prior, after her fifteenth birthday.

Macario, one year her senior, had his for a year. He looked more mature, and only gotten smarter since we were little. He had a broader face, but wasn't fat, and his dark hair was complimented his light, grey eyes.

"Again!" I groaned, lashing at the dummie for the twentieth time. How did they train me after all of this?!

I finally got the hit high enough to please Bruno, and he let me off the hook. He reminded me that we were to practice with swordplay once more. I nodded, putting the sword back in the rack where it belonged.

I jogged over to Natalia and Macario. They grimaced, looking between each other. No matter how much they deny it, they are more alike than twins.

"I don't envy you, Celia. He's one of the toughest mentors here." She commented, patting me on the back. I nodded, dusting myself off. He certainly wasn't going easy on me.

"Yeah, you're lucky it wasn't Sasha. She would have run you like a dog." Macario said with a shudder. She had been his mentor.

"I guess. Have you see Pietro? He's supposed to help me study." I asked, rolling my eyes. He was almost always in the library.

Both of them shook their heads, Natalia undoing her ponytail to fix it.

"To be honest, I haven't seen him or Ricci all day. And usually one or both them is hanging around you."

I fought back a blush, thinking to where to find the blonde assassin. Okay, so I had a little crush on Ricci. So what? He had gotten handsome. I'm surprised he didn't have a girlfriend.

I'm not fool enough to think he would like me, I was way younger than him, not to mention Ezio would kill him if he did.

"I guess I'll check the library. See ya guys later." I told them, jogging off to go find Pietro. I needed to study for an exam Bruno had me taking. It was in a few days, and I needed to cram as much as possible.

It was just about Creed policies and our history, but I just couldn't remember anything. I ran into someone, and I stumbled back. It was Ezio.

"Hi, Ezio!" I greeted with a smile, hugging him. He smiled back, taking off his hood and hugging me back. I was excited for his return, since he allowed me to go on his next mission with him. After the exam of course.

We would be going to Rome. It had been a while since I had seen Auntie, something was always happening here that prevented me from going.

"Celia, did you miss me?" He asked, kissing my forehead. I nodded with a grin, he had only been gone a few days this time. But I really wanted to go out on a mission. Heh… our daddy-daughter assassination.

"Don't worry, I'll help you on your test. Come on, we're you going to the library?"

"Yes, Pietro had been helping me study." I told him, holding his hand. He smiled, leading me toward his office.

"I have to drop something off really quick, I'll met you at the library, _bene_?" I nodded happily, letting go of his hand and going off to the library again.

As usual, it was quiet there, and only the few regulars were there. Pietro was in the corner, in the same spot he was always in.

"Hey, Pietro." I whispered, sliding into the chair next to him. His head snapped up, since his nose was stuck in the book in his hands.

"Oh, _ciao_, Celia. Come to study again?" I nodded my head, wiggling in my seat excitedly.

"My dad is gonna help me today!" I told him, seeing my father enter the library. Pietro smiled at me, and nodded, looking back down in his book.

"Okay, what do you need help with?" I told him the history, and some of the more outstanding assassins I couldn't remember, like Altair was easy, but others …

He helped me for a couple hours, happy to help me. He even told me some of the answers for the test! I enjoyed my time with him, since it was getting to be rare. We ate dinner together, and went back to his office so he could work.

I studied for a little bit longer, before I fell asleep on his shoulder, trying to read a book about Altair.

/\\\\\

"Celia, wake up, Bruno wants you!" Isabella shouted, shaking me awake. I opened my eyes, noticing I wasn't in Ezio's office anymore.

I shrugged, getting out of bed, and brushed my hair. I put it in a braid like Isabella. She smiled at me, and ushered me out the door. I jogged down to the sparring area, to find Bruno waiting.

He grunted, jerking his head toward the closed off area where another student was. I had seen him around before, but I didn't know his name. Apparently he was skilled with the English sword. Bruno tossed me my rapier, giving me a look. I sighed, strolling over to the boy.

He had an English sword, and by the looks of it, the rumors were true. Was Bruno trying to tell me something? I readied myself, sizing up the boy. He didn't seem too tough, but I've made mistakes like that before.

"GO!" I waited for the boy to move, but he refused to. I smirked, lunging forward with my rapier ahead of me.

_If he wants me to strike first, I will._

He moved to block with his sword, but I jumped back in time. He almost cut my sleeve, but I moved out of the way, so there was only a small slice in my shirt.

He swung at me, and I barely managed to deflect it. Rapiers weren't meant to block. As I deflected, his chest was left exposed. I kicked his chest, pushing him back a fair distance.

Looks like those laps were for a reason.

While he was off balance, I kicked his hand, knocking his sword loose. He let it go with a startled gasp, pulling his hand to his chest.

I pointed my sword at his chest, and looked back at Bruno with a bored expression, to see he had been joined by my father.

Ezio smiled proudly, his hood up. I smiled back, jogging over. He had gotten me this sword, so he must be really happy that I had been using it.

"I expected you to lose, using a rapier against that kind of sword, but I guess you're better than I thought." My mentor grumbled. I smirked at him, sliding my sword into its sheathe.

"I told you she would win." Ezio bragged, elbowing Bruno. I smiled, putting my hands on my hips. Bruno rolled his eyes, handing me a few throwing knives.

He gestured to the dummie I had been fighting the day before. I nodded, holding the three knives at my side.

I threw them, hitting him all three times in the heart. I had practiced for days to perfect that. I smiled proudly, looking at Bruno again. He grunted, turning to Ezio.

"There, she'll skilled enough to come with me for a few days." Ezio said, unable to hold back a smile.

"That wasn't the deal. Celia has to pass the test too." He muttered. My smile faded, and I looked at my father worriedly.

_How am I gonna pass that test?_


End file.
